Samantha Chan (Year 1 MechE) was just eight years old when she decided to become an engineer.
Her parents had taken her to see Big Hero 6 — an animated superhero film starring a young robotics prodigy — and the story cemented her early passion for building machines using electrical components.
“The movie got me super excited and inspired, and I begged my mom to enrol me in a robotics class,” she says. “When I learned about the bigger world of mechatronics, that’s when I knew I wanted to be an engineer.”
In high school, Chan joined the STEM Club and was mentored by a teacher who shared her passion for STEM subjects. She also dedicated time to exploring her creative and entrepreneurial interests, which include 2D animation, singing and developing a video game together with friends who brought a wide range of technical and artistic skills to the project.
Today, Chan — now 17 — is well on her way to realizing her dream of combining her love of engineering with her interests in business and creativity.
In September, she left Vancouver to begin her first year of a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Toronto as one of 10 Schulich Leaders — recipients of Canada’s most prestigious scholarships for students pursuing careers at the intersection of STEM and entrepreneurship.
“I applied for the Schulich Leader Scholarship because I liked how it prioritized leadership and entrepreneurship rather than just academic excellence,” she says. “I am incredibly grateful to have been chosen and to be part of this community; everyone is here because they want to achieve something.”
Although she’s just weeks into her degree, Chan already knows that she wants to combine her interests in engineering, creativity and business to make a big difference for the world.
“I want to go into sustainability because it’s necessary for the future,” she says. “Right now, a lot of progress being made scientifically is not accessible to the public. I want to start a business focused on creating solutions that the public can use to contribute to a more sustainable world.”
Every scholarship opens doors to a powerful community of networking and support
Established in 2012 by Canadian businessman Seymour Schulich, the Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded to 100 exceptional students each year from across Canada — including 10 for incoming undergraduate students to U of T, five of whom are studying at U of T Engineering.
The scholarships are valued at $100,000 each for science, technology and mathematics students and $120,000 each for engineering students, covering the entire cost of an undergraduate education.
“The University of Toronto is deeply impressed by the achievements and aspirations of our Schulich Leaders,” says Meric Gertler, president of U of T. “We are immensely grateful to Seymour Schulich and the Schulich Foundation for investing in the success of our next generation of game-changing innovators across the STEM disciplines.”
Sandy Welsh, vice provost of students at U of T, says that beyond their monetary value, the Schulich Leader Scholarships open doors to unmatched opportunities for networking and support.
“The monetary value of every Schulich Leader Scholarship is unmatched in Canada, but what makes these awards extra special is the community that comes with them,” she says.
“Every incoming Schulich Leader automatically becomes part of a network of scholars — those still at U of T and those who have graduated — who encourage one another, share ideas, create access to invaluable contacts and so much more. The result is generations of STEM leaders fully supported to achieve their most ambitious goals.”
Chan agrees. “Being part of the Schulich Leader community constantly reminds me of the Latin saying ‘Aut inveniam viam aut faciam’ — ‘I shall either find a way or make one.’ It has shown me that if I really put my mind to something, I can achieve it.”
Meet U of T’s 2024 Schulich Leaders:
Ammar Ahmad, Computer Engineering
Hailing from southwestern Ontario, Ahmad has a strong interest in software engineering and hopes to specialize in artificial intelligence and machine learning. While still in high school, he undertook an internship at the University of Waterloo where he developed a health informatics app to collect and analyze public opinions on health topics from social media. He also organized and led a 100-attendee hackathon hosted at the Accelerator Centre.
Connor Jantzi, Electrical Engineering
While attending high school in Elmira, Ontario, Jantzi was actively involved with a robotics team and won both the Canada Wide Science Fair and the Waterloo Wellington Science and Engineering Fair. Passionate about business and problem solving, he also started his own business helping to bring farm fresh eggs to his local community. In his spare time, Jantzi enjoys playing sports and mountain biking.
Phalguni Nandakumar, Computer Engineering
While growing up in Guelph, Ontario, Nandakumar extensively pursued her interests in computer coding and other STEM subjects — including serving as a teen ambassador with Canada Learning Code, working as a STEM Leader and inclusion worker with the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, founding the start-up Creative Coding and more. In her spare time she enjoys hiking and making pottery.
Samantha Chan, Mechanical Engineering
Hailing from Hong Kong and Vancouver, Chan has been passionate about mechatronics since childhood. While attending Little Flower Academy in Vancouver, she led the STEAM and Physics Olympics team and explored her passion for leadership as a member of the Model UN Leader Secretariat team and One World One Heart leadership team. She is also interested in science, history, singing, fencing and 2D animation.
Srijit Iyer, Engineering Science
While attending high school in London, Ontario, Iyer launched a consulting business helping start-ups navigate the world of cryptocurrency and NFT. He also founded an influencer management agency, working with global brands such as TikTok Canada and Sony Music, and helping influencers maximize their potential across different platforms. He is now excited to pursue his dual interests in engineering and entrepreneurism as an engineering science student at U of T.
